145+ Onomatopoeia Examples to Ace Your Language Arts Unit

You might not even realize it, but you incorporate literary devices and figures of speech into your daily conversations. Perhaps you first encountered them in middle or high school. But don’t worry if it slipped your mind—life as a parent often fills our brains with more pressing matters! For example, if you tell your friend to meet you in “Bailey’s blazing-hot basement,” that’s an alliteration. Or if you mention it took you “ages” to get to work today, you’ve used hyperbole (one of the most common figures of speech). Another frequently used figure of speech? Onomatopoeia, which refers to words that phonetically imitate the sound they describe. Examples of onomatopoeia include “crash” and “sizzle.” If you’re unsure what onomatopoeia is or how to pronounce it, we’re here to help!

Believe it or not, onomatopoeia is quite simple to grasp and utilize—much easier than solving an anagram or crafting a palindrome. Here’s a quick guide to onomatopoeias.

How Do You Pronounce Onomatopoeia?

We get it; the word “onomatopoeia” may look daunting. It’s a lengthy term with lots of vowels. Sometimes, we might even pronounce the “t” as an “n,” just like we did as kids. No worries if you never learned the correct pronunciation. Start by saying it slowly: “ah-nuh-mah-tuh-pee-uh.” Still unsure? YouTube is a fantastic resource for learning how to pronounce tricky words, and you can find helpful videos to guide you.

What Is Onomatopoeia?

As previously mentioned, onomatopoeia is a literary device or figure of speech that uses a word to depict a sound. Wikipedia defines onomatopoeia as “the process of creating a word that phonetically imitates, resembles, or suggests the sound that it describes.”

What Are the Four Types of Onomatopoeia?

Of course, it can’t be that straightforward! While the essence of onomatopoeia is fairly simple, it actually breaks down into four distinct types:

Real Words That Mimic Real Sounds
This type of onomatopoeia consists of actual words found in dictionaries that sound like the noises they represent. For example, a cow says “Moo,” and a cat often makes a “meow.” Words like “tick-tock” for clocks and “buzz” for alarms are also included.
Made-up Words That Make Real Sounds
You’ve likely encountered this form too. Describing the sound of a Stormtrooper’s gun as “pew pew pew” is a prime example. Similarly, the “ratatata” sound mimics automatic rifle fire in various songs and movies.
Real Words Used As Sounds
This one can be trickier. In Edgar Allan Poe’s poem “The Bells,” the word “bell” does not sound like the ringing “dong” of a bell. However, he repeats “bell” in a way that evokes the sound of clanging bells.
Letters That Mimic A Familiar Sound
A modern example is “Okayrrr,” which mimics the sound of someone rolling their tongue while saying “Okay.” Think of Mister Rogers removing his sweater with a “Zzzz!” sound or “Pspsps” when calling a cat.

What Are Some More Onomatopoeia Examples?

Looking for a handy list of onomatopoeias? Here you go! These are some common examples:

Sound Words:

Bam, Bang, Beep, Belch, Bonk, Boom, Boop, Burp, Buzz, Ca-ching, Clack, Clang, Clank, Clap, Clash, Clatter, Click, Clink, Clip-clop, Cough, Crack, Crackle, Crash, Creak, Crinkle, Crunch, Ding, Dong, Drip-drop, Fizzle, Flap, Flop, Flush, Gargle, Glop, Glug, Groan, Grumble, Gulp, Hack, Hiccup, Honk, Hum, Jingle, Knock, Moan, Murmur, Patter, Plop, Pop, Pow, Puff, Rasp, Rattle, Rev, Ring, Rip, Rumble, Rustle, Scream, Shout, Sizzle, Slap, Slurp, Smack, Smash, Snap, Snicker, Sniff, Snort, Splatter, Splash, Spit, Spray, Squish, Swish, Tap, Tick, Thud, Thump, Tock, Toot, Trickle, Vroom, Wail, Whiz, Yap, Yip, Zap, Zip, Zoom.

Animal Noises:

Baa, Bark, Bleat, Bow-wow, Buzz, Chirp, Cluck, Cock-a-doodle-doo, Coo, Croak, Hiss, Hoot, Howl, Growl, Grunt, Moo, Meow, Oink, Peep, Purr, Quack, Rattle, Ribbit, Roar, Screech, Shriek, Squawk, Squeak, Squeal, Tweet, Woof, Yap.

Examples of Onomatopoeia in a Sentence:

The ice clacked as it hit the bottom of the glass.
I love the gentle rip of a hot bagel being pulled apart.
The utensils pinged and clanged as I closed the kitchen drawer.
The champagne cork popped as I removed it from the bottle.
The egg made a sharp crack against the edge of the bowl.
The butter sizzled as it melted in the hot pan.
As she worked on her essay due at midnight, her fingers clacked on the keys.
As the cows ate their food, they quietly mooed.
My grandpa let out a small belch after he patted his stomach.
The room was so cold my teeth chattered.
When the car cut me off, I beeped my horn.
After my father ate his burrito, his stomach gurgled.
The mouse squeaks as the eagle chases it.
My father grunted as he pulled the couch up the stairs.
When we camped in the woods, we heard wolves howling.
Since the twins learned to talk, they’ve been yapping ever since.
The rain trickled down my window.
When she poured paint from the can, it glopped into the tray.
My grandfather groaned as he got up from bed.
The baby hiccuped after her bottle.
I slurped the smoothie because it was my favorite.
I sniffed as I entered the garden because of my allergies.
I whispered in the dark to my sister that I needed to go to the bathroom.
The floorboards creaked as I walked to my parent’s room.

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In summary, onomatopoeia is a fun and engaging way to enhance your writing and speech by using words that sound like what they represent. With various types and countless examples, it can add vividness to your language arts unit and beyond.